Johnston Resident Admits to Trafficking Fentanyl, Heroin

PROVIDENCE – Michael Persaud, 30, of Johnston, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence on Monday to trafficking fentanyl and heroin. Persaud admitted to the Court that during a 4 ½-month period of time beginning in October 2016, he arranged for the sale and delivery of nearly 22 grams of fentanyl and 2 grams of heroin to an undercover police officer.

Law enforcement also seized an additional 44 grams of fentanyl from Persaud when they executed a court-authorized search of the Providence residence of the mother of one of Michael Persaud’s children.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Persaud pleaded guilty to five counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one count each of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of heroin.

Michael Persaud’s guilty plea is announced by Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; East Providence Police Chief Christopher Parella; and Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division.  

According to information presented to the Court, on October 27, 2016, an undercover East Providence police officer arranged for the purchase of what turned out to be 1.86 grams of heroin from Persaud, and between January 11 and March 13, 2017, the undercover officer arranged for what turned out to be five purchases of between 6.9 grams and 2.82 grams of fentanyl. In several instances, Persaud used other individuals to assist in the delivery of the drugs. In at least two such instances, Persaud was driven by his girlfriend and mother of three of his children to a designated meeting location to deliver fentanyl to the undercover officer.

On March 30, 2017, members of the East Providence Police Department, with the assistance of the RI DEA Drug Task Force, executed a court-authorized search of the Providence residence of the mother of one of Michael Persaud’s children, where they were directed to 44 grams of fentanyl Persaud had stashed at the residence.

Persaud, who is detained in federal custody, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2018.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ly T. Chin.

The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force, which investigated this matter, is comprised of law enforcement personnel from the DEA and Providence, East Providence, Central Falls, Woonsocket, West Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket, Newport, South Kingstown, and Warwick Police Departments, and the Rhode Island State Police.

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